Final answer:
The plasma membrane regulates nutrient transport, enables cell signaling, and provides support for cell shape, additionally being involved in cell recognition processes.
Step-by-step explanation:
In animal cells, the functions of the plasma membrane include regulation of nutrient transport, cell signaling, and providing cell shape and support. It is responsible for defining the cell boundary and interacting with the environment, allowing the cell to exclude, take in, and excrete substances in controlled quantities.
The plasma membrane's flexibility allows for cell shape changes, which are essential for cells like red and white blood cells navigating through capillaries. Moreover, the membrane surface has markers for cell recognition, crucial for tissue and organ formation and the immune response's distinction between self and non-self.